himalayan cedar

[Happy Builder]

has any one used himalayan cedar for top its other name is deodar
if yes then what should be its thickness

[Tim Mace]

No not Yedi....but ants love that tree.That's why they call 'em deodarants.I want to hear more about it.Sounds strong!

[Happy Builder]

there are only two original cedars one is himalayan cedar and other is cedar from lebonon as mentioned in the bible both are aromatic but i wanted to know if it is any good for top of guitar

[Bart van Weperen]

I know that “Cedar” (Canadian Red Cedar) is often used as topwood on flamenco guitars...
And then we also have “Thuja plicata” (from US West coast, from Alaska to Washington, Oregon and Columbia), also known as “Cedro” that is becomming more and more popular as soundboards.
Cedar is softer, less elastic and strong as spruce, but in general it is more stable.

To give you an idea of its worth: 2 pieces “Special Classical Red Cedar Soundboard” (550x 200x 4 mm) are now being offered for Euro 35 (ex taxes etc, about US$ 47.60).

Are you working on a Classical or on an Accoustic guitar?

Bart

[Happy Builder]

hey bart
i am currently working on an accoustic guitar
i have himalayan cedar available in my shop it is just as heavy and dense as spruce
i would also like to know with cedar should i go for thicker or thinner braces compared to spruce
i should add a point that cedar surface can get damaged very easily
by the way cedar is aromatic and smells good -- at least to me

[Steve Beckwith]

I'd use the ceder that you have - particularly if this is your first guitar. Wait to spend more money on more expensive wood after you develop your skills.

As a start, keep the thickness at about 0.125 inches (3.175mm)

Brace diameter should be kept the same size as the spruce braces. HOWEVER, I like to use the same type of wood that is on the top for the braces but it is not necessary.

Yes , it is soft wood and will be easily damaged so make sure whenever you have a nice soft and clean material underneath it. I'd recommend cork but make sure you keep the cork clean of any bits of dirt, wood shavings, debris, etc.

It does have a great smell!

[Happy Builder]

hey steve
thanks for the info
have u used a himalayan cedar top
if yes how does it compare to spruce
rgds

[Steve Beckwith]

No, I haven't used Himalayan cedar but regularly use western red cedar. It produces a steel-string guitar that is louder than spruce - and in some cases a bit heavier in the bass.

[Happy Builder]

thanks for your info

[Paul Hostetter]

Bart, you've got some things really mixed up here.

Western red cedar is Thuja plicata, and it has been used for tops for a very long time—it's not becoming "more and more popular." It's nowhere near as strong as spruce. Furthermore, it is never referred to as cedro.

Cedro, as used in guitarmaking, is Cedrela odorata, native to central America. It's used for necks and linings, rarely for sides and backs (mostly in Mexico), and never for tops.

Deodar cedar is a true cedar, and rather rarely used in lutherie. Most other so-called cedars are in the cypress and Meliaceae families - not true cedars at all. It's rather pointless to compare them since deodar is so rarely used and isn't even related to the other "cedars."

According to a chart of common Indian woods, Deodar "is the most important timber tree providing soft wood. It can be easily worked and it is moderately strong. It possesses distinct annual rings. It is used for making cheap furniture, railway carriages, railway sleepers, packing boxes, structural work and so forth."

I'd test it the same way I'd test a piece of spruce. Not all wood is created equal, and species is indicative of very little. A good piece of wood is where you find it.

[Bart van Weperen]

Paul, thanks for setting me straight!
The “info” I posted was coppied/pasted from the webside of one of my suppliers, so now I’m doubting their knowledge on woods...

Looks like one more score for the “minformation” on the WWW. (Or me not double-checking!)

Bart

[Happy Builder]

Hi paul

how do i know if deodar can be used for soundboard

[Paul Hostetter]

You can't tell unless you try it. It's not a known quantity for instrument tops.

Again, if it looks good, and the rough top seems stiff (comparable to spruce) and emits promising sounds, it'll probably work. People have used the craziest things for tops and have gotten good results: white pine, western red cedar, mahogany, walnut, koa, Alaska yellow cedar, Douglas fir.

And there's a lot of spruce of the famous species such as Sitka, Adirondack, European and so on, that's absolutely useless or inadequate for making instruments, which is why good luthiers learn to evaluate each piece before they put any time or energy into it. That's the only real way to gauge its suitability: your own backlog of knowledge about which wood (regardless of genus and species) has worked for you.